Pole-usical 2015 “Dirty Pole Dancing” -The Time of Our Lives!

By Candace Williams

This year’s fourth annual, highly anticipated pole-usical, which takes a lighthearted look at some aspect of pole life, will have a retro feel to it with the theme “Dirty Pole Dancing.” It will incorporate songs from Dirty Dancing, the 1987 coming of age hit movie that was set in 1963 and featured Jennifer Grey as “Baby” Houseman and the late Patrick Swayze as mambo instructor Johnny Castle.

Expect to see – original costumes, hip shaking, booty popping, spins, shoulder rolls, lifts, waves, sways, pairs on poles, air kisses and some humorous moments when students and instructors take to the dance floor. Also expect to see the pole adaptation of many Dirty Dancing signature moves that will bring back memories of the on-screen chemistry between Baby and her leading man, Johnny, as well as the sexuality their characters exuded.

“We have even choreographed the finale just like the movie,” said Pole Pressure CEO Jessalynn Medairy.

The show will feature individual performances, as well as a 10-person student troupe and eight-person instructor troupe, said Medairy, who will take part in the instructor category. Three instructors will have solo acts, she said.

Medairy said a client gave her the idea to put a pole dance spin on the musical adaptation of the movie. Medairy acknowledged being skeptical at first, but then decided to watch the Dirty Dancing movie again to refresh her memory. Earlier this year, Medairy saw the musical version, which she described as “fantastic.”

Auditions for this year’s pole-usical took place in the summer and the program was expanded to include everyone who tried out, she said. Altogether, 15 acts will perform.

“Many of the songs are short so we expanded the show into many different performances,” Medairy said. “There are so many great songs in the movie,” she noted.

This year, three shows will be held, instead of two.

“We definitely needed to add a third show because of the ever-growing audience the previous shows have created. The show will run about 90 minutes long, with a 10-minute intermission. By adding a third show, we can also include a costume budget for the performers,” she said.

Oh, Baby!

Baby Houseman goes to summer pole dance and fitness camp and falls head over heels in love with her instructor, of all people! What do her well-to-do parents think as their independent-minded Baby is swept off her feet in more ways than one? Given her passion for pole and her teacher, will Baby perform on stage with her new love or end up stuck in a corner? Or worse, go home early? Find out when Pole Pressure Downtown DC hosts the pole-usical, taking place Friday, October 2, 2015 at 8 p.m. and Saturday, October 3, 2015 at 5:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. respectively at the studio near Logan Circle. The price of admission is $20.